[Elecraft] XV144 Advice Needed -- And Another Manual Goof Noted

[Jim Brown]

On 7/25/2014 4:28 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Jim,
>
> I am looking at the XV transverter Owner's manual Rev F1 and cannot 
> understand your statement about the ACC cable.  See Figure 7 on page 
> 11.  It clearly shows 4 wires to the ACC connector, and one of them 
> (pin 1 of the XV144 DB-9 connector and pin 12 of the K3 ACC end) is 
> the return path.

Yes, I just discovered the error -- it's my printer, that didn't 
reproduce two color
conductors.
>
> I am also concerned about your statement about the "right" level drive 
> to the XV144.  In the XV144 there is no provision to switch in any 
> fixed attenuation.

It's on the control board in the form of relay K7 and three 160 ohm 
resistors.

>
> Are you certain you are looking at the XV Transverter Owner's manual 
> and *not* the K144XV internal option for the K3.

I'm looking at an XV144, manual dated 2013.

>
> As for frequency stability of the XV144, without the crystal oven, the 
> XV144 is usually stable enough for CW and SSB operation.  If greater 
> frequency stability is desired, the addition of the crystal oven is 
> desirable.  Plug the JP-9 header to pins 4 and 5 to provide power to 
> the LO and xtal oven at all times that +12 volts is supplied to the 
> XV144 for the greatest LO stability.

Yes, I'm aware of the option for an oven.  In a quick conversation while 
he was rushing to make the flight to CT, K6XX alerted me to the 
stability issue, and said to choose drive levels to avoid dissipation in 
that attenuator.  So I'm trying to get a handle on roughly where it 
switches in.  He also suggested running XV at the minimum level needed 
to drive an external amp, which also makes sense.

After studying alignment instructions, I'm seeing a K3 output level of 1 
mW, so perhaps that's it.

Thanks and 73, Jim